“A trial by combat?”
Antonio scrutinized Green for quite some time, the smile on his face not diminishing in the slightest—in fact, it only grew wider.
You wish to die? Good, I’ll help you with that.
“A mere commoner wants to judge me?”
Although he’d long wanted to accept Green’s “challenge,” Antonio never missed a chance to stir up the emotions of the troops beneath Teresa’s command, constantly fanning the flames of their anger.
He was skilled at playing such a role.
Though he usually presented himself to the world as a noble, generous Crown Prince who “honored the worthy regardless of birth,” Antonio was notorious for ruthlessly suppressing those of humble origins whom the Crown Prince promoted.
It wasn’t just prejudice—though Antonio indeed looked down on those commoners.
But his meticulous performance as a close confidant to the Crown Prince had a deeper purpose.
To play the villain.
“To give help in someone’s hour of need is far more precious than to embellish success; when Antonio cracks down on them, even the smallest aid from the Crown Prince will be regarded as an unparalleled favor.”
Thus, Antonio didn’t care about being seen as a bastard. Great ambitions require disregard for trifles; those who fret about morals and ethics in the competition for the throne have grass growing several meters high on their graves by now.
“No, Envoy,” Princess Teresa decisively intervened as Antonio’s arrogance grew and the anger on the faces of the soldiers below threatened to boil over.
After so many political struggles, her understanding of such affairs had transformed—she instantly realized the need to control the situation and not let Antonio seize the chance to make trouble.
“Mr. Green is indeed a commoner, but he is also my personal advisor… and follower.”
Teresa gave Green a solemn glance, worry flashing in her eyes.
Though she knew Green’s strength was unfathomable, the sight of the floating warship Antonio had shown off during his entrance was deeply imprinted in her memory.
She truly didn’t want Green to risk himself for her.
Yet, reality forced her to rely on him again and again.
Teresa loathed her own helplessness.
Grow stronger.
I… I want to become stronger.
I want to protect everyone—Green, Martin, Rayne… all of them!
Silently, Teresa resolved herself.
“Personal advisor?” Antonio’s tone remained flippant as he sized up Green, dressed like a poet shrouded in mystery. Though his face betrayed nothing, murderous intent all but spilled over inside.
So.
Absolutely no trace of hidden magic?
Only two possibilities.
First, he was truly an ordinary mid-ranked bard, perhaps even weaker than the junior he had just humiliated.
Second…
He was powerful.
Terrifyingly powerful.
Antonio personally leaned toward the second option.
He trusted his instincts as a legendary mage.
Such a strong foe must be eliminated at once.
Not only to provoke Teresa’s soldiers into rebellion—his very existence was an unpredictable factor in the struggle for succession.
“Yes, as my personal advisor, Mr. Green naturally has the right to represent me in a trial by combat—to judge you for having just defiled the sacred honor of the late Emperor’s inviolable oath.”
With just a few words, Teresa flawlessly cited imperial law, forcefully quashing the mood Antonio had stirred up and confining what could have been a riot to “a personal dispute.”
“Hmph, this princess is clever—but cleverness means nothing in the struggle for succession.”
Honestly, Antonio didn’t harbor any particular hatred for Princess Teresa, Green, or even the “rabble” below.
To him, it wasn’t personal—just…
“Since you’ve been driven from the capital and banished from the game, why rush back to your deaths? Then I’ll have to grant your wish.”
Clang.
Drawing his magic wand, Antonio saw that the tension had been built up enough and finally agreed to the duel.
“I will let you all witness what true power really means.”
Antonio looked down at the soldiers, persistently inciting and hinting, using every trick to drive them to demand that “the envoy take action.”
“Well then, allow me to wait and see.”
Clang.
Raising his artifact, Green also wanted to measure just how formidable the floating warship—the very core of this era’s peak magitech, and Antonio’s pride—truly was.
As a weapon powerful enough to overturn the international order, information about the floating warship was little more than basic stats, even in the Adventurer’s Guild Library. Specifics were each faction’s closely guarded trump card.
Even with the eyes of a legendary mage, Green could only vaguely estimate the opponent’s strength.
However…
“It seems my earlier judgment was correct—this fellow really doesn’t know my true power.”
Green nodded to himself.
So then…
“As I suspected, the Crown Prince and the female magician are not truly close—merely in a vague alliance.”
He had tolerated Antonio’s repeated provocations for many reasons, but never out of fear for his so-called “envoy from the capital” status.
“Now that I’ve confirmed as much, I need waste no more time…”
Clang!
A sword drawn.
Unlike Teresa’s imperial sword, brilliant and regal, Green’s Courtier’s Sword—whose companionship spanned countless years—appeared simple, unadorned, of fine quality but with nothing outwardly remarkable.
Yet, with only a hint of its force, Antonio, the legendary mage, felt the hairs on his neck stand on end.
Danger!
Too dangerous.
This man really did have the power to overturn the struggle for succession.
Just like the Second Prince.
In terms of forces and talent, the Second Prince was no match for the Crown Prince.
But with a legendary peak powerhouse, the Minister of the Army, and the backing of Marshal, he often managed to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Crown Prince Regent.
And the Crown Prince himself was already legendary in strength!
Indeed.
In the end, the world is ruled by a handful of people.
Antonio reaffirmed this truth in his heart.
“All those so-called miracles and stratagems,” Antonio sneered, “Princess Teresa turned the tide not because of luck in the barbarian invasion, but because of this mysterious powerhouse. Which side does he truly serve? Such a force could never have sprung from the roadside like a stray stone.”
But soon, he’d have his answer.
Buzzzzz—
Now, Antonio no longer concealed his power.
He placed his hand to his chest, chanted in an ancient, mysterious tongue, and instantly, radiant white light burst from his chest, flooding the entire hall as if it were noon.
A scorching, seemingly boundless, sun-like force surged from Antonio, accompanied by a torrent of mana.
Boom! Boom!
At the same time, the giant floating warship docked outside the fortress began to rumble, resonating subtly with Antonio.
“My apologies, Princess. You truly are a good person—even a good general.”
With a tone both regretful and mocking, Antonio sang out, “But the victor’s laurel wreath is fated to belong to His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“To ignore the people’s suffering, to disregard the sacrifices of common soldiers…” Teresa’s anger flared, and the hard-won composure she had built up was finally corroded away by Antonio’s self-important “grand vision.”
“With people like you at his side, what right does my imperial brother have to believe he can govern the empire well?”
Facing Teresa’s challenge, Antonio simply shook his head. “You are mistaken, Princess. It’s precisely because he understands sacrifice that, of all the heirs, only the Crown Prince… can save this rotten empire from the demon invasion!”
Boom!!!
No sooner had he finished speaking than Antonio, fully charged, unleashed all his power at Green, holding nothing back.
“Hmph. Bard, I don’t actually dislike you.”
Confident that even a legendary could not survive, Antonio watched as the spot where Green once stood was erased—even the fabric of space utterly collapsed.
A blank void, devoid of life—or more accurately, devoid of existence itself.
Forbidden Spell: Elemental Erasure.
“But I have my reasons for doing this.”
Panting, Antonio stared into the emptiness where his greatest threat had vanished.
Whoosh…
A strong wind swept through, dispersing the lingering mist.
“Green, Green will definitely be fine!”
Teresa’s eyes shone. She had witnessed this scene countless times—every time despair closed in, every time she thought Green had reached his limit, he always brought forth miracles!
“Hm?” Seeing Teresa’s delight, Antonio felt a faint sense of foreboding.
That exchange had been dangerous. What if Green also had some trump card?
Recalling countless tales of arrogance ending in disaster, Antonio hurriedly pulled out several potions and gulped them down, rapidly replenishing his mana.
Whoosh!!!
Another fierce gale blew, completely sweeping away the mist.
“Mr. Green!” Teresa gazed at the blurry figure.
Hm… huh?!
Thud.
A mangled, bloody skeleton suddenly collapsed.
Clatter, clatter—the bones crumbled to dust.
“Heh… Hahahahaha!” Antonio breathed a sigh of relief.
That was terrifying.
Sure enough, the floating warship’s power was invincible.
“Princess Teresa.” With his greatest threat eliminated, Antonio regained his composure. “It seems the trial by combat has its verdict.”
He turned coldly to the hapless squad captain, revealing a cruel smile. “But judging from your earlier words, your troops are indeed in need of discipline. Let’s start… with this squad captain who forged honors and dared to speak out of turn.”
A chill swept through everyone’s heart.
Yet, with the barrier gone, no one dared protest.
The slaughter was about to begin.